#packessentials

This foldable saw will cut through most wood like it’s made of butter. This is down to the fine and extremely sharp teeth. One of the first times I used mine was after Christmas, as I was taking out our tree to be recycled. I figured managing it would be simpler if I cut off the branches first. Holding the bottom of the stem upwards, I sliced through each branch with an intoxicating amount of ease. Admittedly I was a little disappointed when I’d finished!

Unlike the smoothness of a knife, the teeth of the serrated edge deals out a messy cut if you’re careless, so make sure you know how to be safe with it. Thankfully this saw blade locks in both the open and closed positions, meaning there’s less chance of an accident. I’ve felt the sting of its blade, and trust me, it teaches you respect.

At the Frontier Bushcraft course* I attended this summer we were issued these to aid us in sourcing wood responsibly. As well as instructing us in saw safety, they passed on an essential tip. The Laplander comes with a long leather lanyard attached for retrieval from a pack or pocket and to wrap around your hand when using. However Paul Kirtley (the course leader) made the very good point that, with it open in your hand, there’s a chance that this long lanyard could get caught on something in the undergrowth, especially when you’ve not wrapped it around your hand. If you don’t notice that it’s caught and keep moving, the result will be a misery inducing tear across your palm. The simple solution is to remove this leather or replace it with a short length of paracord. It’s handy to have use a visible colour in case you drop it or set it down somewhere briefly.

I’m always surprised when someone else I know either owns or has heard of these fabled saws, but I shouldn’t be. They’re low cost for what you get, the quality is outstanding. The tool is light and makes seriously quick work of most medium sized cutting tasks. Whether it’s fuel for the fire, shelter construction, gardening or fallen branches across the road, if you ever need to cut wood, from the width of a finger to a few inches short of the 8" blade, then get a Laplander.

BUY NOW PACK ESSENTIALS

*The Frontier courses are full of tips like this that come out in their teaching in addition to the content of the course. I highly recommend attending one, or finding one in your local area.

While training for a long-distance endurance hike (mentioned here) I came across ClimbOn on a list of helpful blister remedies. The products description reads, "a multi-purpose product that can be used to soothe burns, cuts, scrapes, rashes, cracked cuticles and heels, tissue nose, road rash, diaper rash, abrasions, poison ivy...any skin issue that needs deep moisturizing and nourishing." It was originally designed to provide relief for rock climbers skin, but as you can see it goes over and above one function.

Since picking this up to slather it over my blisters, I've found it works great for my hands too. I tend to treat my hands hard and suffer for it later. They often dry out and can end up cracked and bleeding, especially after hiking or other outdoor activities. I tried various hand creams (against the wishes of my inner Ron Swanson) but found the effects either didn't last long or left my hands sticky.

I always check out reviews for new products I discover, so I looked up ClimbOn! and I was soon convinced. I think I paid around £10 (around $15), which I thought was a bit dear for a tiny pot, but I wanted to try it. Another great selling point is that it is 100% Organic (synthetic and chemical free) and a food grade product. Their message: "If you can't eat it, don't put it on your skin." I don't plan on ever eating any, but it's good to know I can!

An incredible smell hits you as you open it and the smooth beeswax composition has helped me (and my wife) sooth an array of cracks, blisters and flapping skin. After long stints of tying my next paracord creation or playing my guitar, my fingers are often left painfully torn up. Applying ClimbOn! means the next morning they both look and feel tons better. Not completely healed (it isn't quite miraculous) but the recovery process has definitely started.

It's a small, handy item to have in your pack, especially if you're going out for more than one day and might need something that can work fast. A great test for an essential is whether you'd buy it again. When what's left of my bar finally runs out, I will replace it and I can thoroughly recommend you pick some up too.

BUY NOWPACK ESSENTIALS

Ductape. Improved. If you need more persuasion than that, you've probably never used ductape before. Duct tape is generally seen as a universal fixing tool. It can also be used to create things too. Wallets, hammocks even sofas. Nothing seems impossible for this tape and I've been in countless situations where duct tape has been the answer to unexpected problems. Since the origins of duct tape (originally developed during WWII as a waterproof seal to keep moisture out of ammunition cases) it's uses have multiplied astronomically.

Rather than list examples of suggested uses (there are endless lists online) I want to let you know why this particular product deserves your attention. The makers must have taken the basic, bog-standard duct tape and put it through the tape equivelant of the toughest military selection available. The result is Gorilla Tape. It is the strongest I've used and yet, perhaps crucially, you can still tear it with your fingers. It's grip is incredibly firm, even over time, and it doesn't leave awful marks when removed like some cheaper tapes do.

The bottom line is that Gorilla Tape will always be found in my pack. I've found the 1 inch roll to be particularly useful as it takes up less space and is more convenient for small tasks, as well as being tough enough for the heavy duty work. As you can see from the image above, I'm already on my third roll of the stuff and I have a full size roll too. Try it for yourself and let me know what you think…

BUY NOWPACK ESSENTIALS

I picked up this headtorch a few years ago as it appeared on the GORUCK store and I thought if it’s good enough for a GORUCK Challenge it would be more than enough for what I needed. I've used it on many occasions for extended periods of time, including two full nights where I walked through the night navigating across the British South Downs which tested out the good run time. Despite not being the highest powered LED out there, it’s compact in size and doesn’t have an awkward or heavy separate battery pack like others on the market. I generally combine it with a torch/flashlight with a longer 'throw' to see things in the distance. It’s easy to adjust and is comfortable enough to wear.

The red light filter slides up easily to help preserve your night vision and I also found the red light doesn't attract as many bugs which is really handy when walking among the human-skin-hungry wonders of creation. On other models this red light is activated by scrolling through the lighting modes, often meaning the bright white light clicks on before reaching the red light. The principle of "less moving parts means less can go wrong" should be considered here but, in my opinion, the trade off for the manually controlled filter is worth it.

*The TacTikka range has been updated since I purchased this headtorch around 2 years ago. After a little research I found the Tikka XP2 is the best match to the one I have, specifically it includes the manual filter. I highly recommend picking up a headtorch of some kind to have in your pack, or even to keep in your car – just in case. Sometimes having hands free lumination can be indispensable.